1987
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1987 was the the sixth year of the Machine Robo franchise and the second year of Rock Lords.
North America[edit | edit source]
GoBots[edit | edit source]
Toys[edit | edit source]
No new GoBots toys were issued, though sales of existing inventory brought in around $10m in revenue for Tonka.
Fiction[edit | edit source]
GoBots Magazine [edit | edit source]
With no toyline to support, Telepictures Publications' GoBots Magazine ended after 5 issues.
Rock Lords[edit | edit source]
Rock Lords continued into a second series, though the amount of product dwindled.
Toys[edit | edit source]
The second series of toys were exclusive to the Western market as Machine Robo moved in a different direction. The smaller line included two new 'standard' Rock Lords, the translucent Jewel Lords, the gimmick-based Shock Rocks and further Narlies. Plans to release the combining Fossilsaurus did not come to fruition, though the moulds would be retooled as the Japanese Gattai Saurer figure.
Revenue fell to $15m, and the line would be cancelled.
Series 2[edit | edit source]
Rock Lords (Series 3)[edit | edit source]
Jewel Lords[edit | edit source]
Narlies (Series 2)[edit | edit source]
Snarlie-Narlie[edit | edit source]
Shock Rocks[edit | edit source]
Series 1
Series 2
Fiction[edit | edit source]
A second mini-comic was included in selected toys.
Japan[edit | edit source]
Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos[edit | edit source]
Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos continued for the first half of the year before being replaced by Machine Robo: Battle Hackers.
Toys[edit | edit source]
The all-new Wheelmen range began, and would continue into successor Machine Robo: Battle Hackers.
Wheelmen[edit | edit source]
MRBH-01
Hot Rod Joe
MRBH-02
F-One Jack
MRBH-03
Buggy Wolf
MRBH-04
Drag Sam
Fiction[edit | edit source]
Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos cartoon[edit | edit source]
The last of the 47 episodes were broadcast, ending on May 28 with a trio of clip shows. The series was immediately replaced by Machine Robo: Battle Hackers. It is possible that the show was intended to run for the more standard 52 episodes before Bandai's plans changed, but this remains unconfirmed.
An OVA named Memories of the Battlefield, containing music videos based on the series and comedy short "Leina's Holiday" was released on home video before the conclusion of the series, while Futureland would issue a soundtrack to the series.
Machine Robo: Battle Hackers[edit | edit source]
Bandai opted to substantially overhaul the Machine Robo franchise once again, possibly in response to the futuristic setting of Transformers (the Japanese version of which had just imported the third series of the American cartoon as Transformers 2010). The focus of the new line were the Battle Hackers, a group of rebellious Machine Robo fighting the Gurendos on Electronic Planet B-1, led by R. JeTan, helped by human allies.
Toys[edit | edit source]
Unlike the Revenge of Cronos line, the Battle Hackers toyline saw nearly all-new figures (the only exception being Gattai Saurer, salvaged from the abortive Rock Lords combiner Fossilsaurus). Firing BB-style weapons as introduced on the 1986 Chara DX Collection figures were a recurring theme on the toys, which were larger than many of their predecessors, and were based on fictional futuristic vehicles. The line also included a trio of Riser Suits, designed to interact with doll-type poseable figures. No villainous figures were made.
Sadly the toys would sell poorly in Japan, reflecting a wider market shift away from children buying toy robots. As such, plans for toys of Garzack and an updated Baikanfu would be abandoned in favour of the smaller Winner Robo for 1988.
Battle Hackers[edit | edit source]
BH-01
Power Riser
BH-02
Mach Blaster
BH-03
Drill Crusher
BH-04
Gattai Saurer
BH-05
R. JeTan
BH-06
Battle Riser
BH-07
Jet Riser
Wheelmen[edit | edit source]
MRBH-05
Rotary Kid
MRBH-06
Twincam Jimmy
Fiction[edit | edit source]
Machine Robo: Battle Hackers cartoon[edit | edit source]
An all-new series was produced to plug the toys, again created by Ashi Productions and helmed by Hideki Sonoda. This acted as a sequel to the Revenge of Cronos cartoon, though the lead cast were not carried over (instead being spun off into the Leina Stol in Wolf Sword Legend OVA series in 1988) and those that were carried over lost their memories as a plot point. Instead the leads were the Battle Hackers - R. JeTan, Garzack and Gattai Saurer, joined by Mach Blaster, Pro Truck Racer, Drill Crusher, the Wheelmen and the Winner Robo as the series progressed - and their human allies Akira Amachi, Luke Stewart, Mia White, Patricia Longfellow and Zen Ogawa. They battled the Gurendos, led by Gakurandar and the supercomputer Dylan.
The series was broadcast on TV Tokyo at the earlier timeslot of 18:00, beginning on June 3, 1987. While the series garnered strong ratings its' fate was sealed by the poor toy sales leading to Bandai likely withdrawing their support, and a hurried conclusion was created before the series ended on December 30, 1987 after 31 episodes.
Europe[edit | edit source]
Robo Machine[edit | edit source]
Toys[edit | edit source]
Rock Lords[edit | edit source]
Jewel Lords[edit | edit source]
Action Shock Rocks[edit | edit source]
Combiner[edit | edit source]
Ultrabots[edit | edit source]
Calendar[edit | edit source]
- April 8: Revenge of the GoBots begins broadcasting in France.
- April 22: Toshiba EMI released the OVA Memories of the Battlefield
- April 22: Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos was released as an album by Futureland.
- May: Reaktor released the video game Challenge of the GoBots.
- May 28: Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos concludes broadcasting in Japan with the episode "Machine Robo, Fight! Part 2".
- June 3: Machine Robo: Battle Hackers begins broadcasting in Japan with the episode "Burning Electronic Planet".
- July 5: "Butchigiri Battle Hackers" by Toshiya Igarashi and "Ato Ichi-byō" by Ema Watanabe were released as singles by Futureland.
- August 5: Machine Robo: Battle Hackers was released as an album by Futureland.
- September 2: Revenge of the GoBots concludes broadcasting in France.
- December 30: Machine Robo: Battle Hackers concluded broadcasting with the episode "Goodbye - Battle Forever".
